It’s been good to see things starting to move at last – a bit more warmth and livestock finally going out where ground conditions allow.

One thing that has felt particularly challenging at the moment is navigating what is, frankly, a more confusing grant and scheme landscape than usual. With multiple capital grant schemes now open or reopening, alongside ongoing changes to SFI and other funding offers, it’s not always clear what fits where, what you can combine, or where best to focus your time and effort. In this month’s newsletter we’ve tried to pull together the key information in one place to help make sense of what’s available and what might be relevant to your business and are planning for an event in late May to help you prepare for the next SFI application window and make confident decisions ahead of it.

Last month’s Selling Nature event was a great example of the value of coming together to make sense of emerging opportunities. It was fantastic to see so many farmers in the room, hearing directly from experts about what nature markets can realistically fund on farm, and the key considerations before entering into any agreements. We’ll be building on that momentum and its been great to hear the interest for a collaborative farmer approach for nature markets in Herefordshire – watch this space!

As always, if you’re unsure how any of this applies to you, or just want to talk it through in practical terms, please do get in touch. We know that making the right call on schemes and funding can have a real impact on your business, and we’re here to help you work through the options with confidence.

Upcoming Events

Webinar: Animal Health and Welfare Pathway Consultation 

Thurs 2nd April

11am to 12pm 

Webinar for anyone with an interest in responding to the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway mandatory proposals consultation. 

To book your place click here

Webinar: Going Organic - Practical Steps for Dairy Farmers

Wed 8th April    

1pm to 2:15pm 

Learn about organic conversion and practical organic dairy farming with expert advisors and farmers.  

To book your place click here  

FarmSafer: Emergency First Aid with Forestry Training Workshop  
** SPACES STILL AVAILABLE**

Fri 10th April    

8:30am to 4pm 

HFYFC, YFC Centre, HR4 9QJ  

Fully funded by Herefordshire Community Foundation & the Jack Hughes Fund. 

Please book by  please email  Please state your Name, Address, Contact Tel No. 

Webinar: SFI26 Explained - A Practical Guide for Organic and Non-Organic Farmers  

Tues 14th April

7pm to 8:15pm 

A webinar on SFI26 options, application planning for organic and non-organic farmers, plus capital grant funding opportunities.


To book your place click here

Free HR & Health & Safety Breakfast Seminar - Hereford 

Thurs 16th April

7:30am to 10am

Chapter House Belmont, HR2 9RZ  

For more info and to book click here 

Farm Smart: Reduce Inputs, Improve Soil & Protect Water - Practical Farm Walk & Knowledge-Sharing Event. 

Tues 21st April

11am to 3pm

Trecorras Farm, Llangarron, HR9 6PG 

Open to All Farmers

For more info click here

Hub Go-To-Businesses
link

Receiving an unexpected letter about an inspection can be unsettling, particularly if you’re unsure what to expect. Whether you have been notified of an inspection or not, being prepared is key.

In this article, Kaz Monteith, Agricultural Compliance Specialist at CXCS, provides a clear overview of what happens when Environment Agency officers visit your farm, along with practical steps you can take to prepare.

Funding & Schemes

2026 Capital Grants  - Get Ready to Apply 

• Boundaries, Trees and Orchards - £35,000
• Water Quality - £25,000
• Air Quality - £25,000
• Natural Flood Management - £25,000
  

• Submit supporting evidence upfront - incomplete applications can slow decisions or be rejected.
• Claim completed works from previous Countryside Stewardship agreements to free up land parcels for new applications.
• Check your RPA registration and ensure your land parcels and maps are accurate.
• Check funding availability - Capital Grants are paid after work is completed, so you will need to cover costs upfront. Applications over £50,000 require proof of sufficient funds from a qualified accountant. 

Catchment Sensitive Farming Support
Some items require prior CSF support.  If you've had support in the last two years, you can use it again.  CSF advisers are prioritising requested visits, with new visits available later in the year.

Tenant Farmers
If you are a tenant, you may need your landlords agreement if your tenancy is less than 5 years.  You will need to supply a land ownership control form in those cases. 

Full details, item-specific evidence requirements and guidance will be availble in the guidance on GOV.UK once published in May.

Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2026  - Now Open

The fund offers £50 million to help farmers, growers, foresters, and contractors invest in equipment and technology that boosts productivity, animal welfare, and slurry management.

Funding & Eligibility

Grants: £1,000–£25,000 per theme, with a £75,000 maximum per business

What’s New

• Updated equipment lists and some new technologies added

• Vet advice and new entrant uplifts removed

• Applicants must use the same contact details as in the Rural Payments service

This is the last standalone FETF; future schemes will combine the strongest elements

Themes & Key Items

• Productivity: autonomous UV‑C treatment, precision sprayers, rainwater harvesting, robotic silage pushers

• Animal Welfare: ventilation systems, biosecurity improvements, livestock handling equipment

• Slurry Management: robotic slurry collectors, low‑emission spreaders

Ensure your contact details match details registered in the Rural Payments service.   

Applications close midday 28 April 2026

For more information please visit GOV.UK

Higher Tier Capital Grants 2026 – Open

• Specialist livestock and water management infrastructure
• Woodland and habitat management works
• Grassland restoration activities
• Protection of historic and environmental features

• Be registered on the Rural Payments Service
• Have land parcels correctly mapped
• Speak with a Natural England adviser to agree suitable capital items

• Work must not start before approval
• All required permissions and consents must be in place
• Applications will stay open until the funding is allocated.

Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) - 2026  
What’s New in the Sustainable Farming Incentive

Defra has published an update on the Sustainable Farming Incentive offer for 2026 (SFI26) and what farmers can expect from the next phase of support.

Application Windows & Eligibility

• Window 1 opens in June 2026, prioritising small farms (up to 50 ha) and farms without an existing ELM revenue agreement.

• Window 2 opens in September 2026 and welcomes applications from all farms.

Funding Caps & Fairer Access

• A £100,000 cap per agreement per year will be introduced.

• Each farm business can hold only one SFI26 agreement.

• Rotational actions are capped at the area included in Year 1 of the agreement.  The area claimed can still be reduced in further years to suit field size and rotation, but it can no longer increase.
  
  
• 10 actions now have caps - this includes: 
  •  CIPM2/IPM2: Flower-rich grass margins, blocks or in-field strips
  • CAHL1/AHL1: Pollen and nectar flower mix
  • CAHL2/AHL2: Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land
  • CAHL3/AHL3: Grassy field corners or blocks
  • CIGL1/IGL1: Take improved grassland field corners or blocks out of management
  • CIGL2/IGL2: Winter bird food on improved grassland
  • WBD3: In-field grass strips
  • AHW7: Enhanced overwinter stubble
  • AHW9: Unharvested cereal headland
  • AHW11: Cultivated areas for arable plants

Scheme Design & Payment Changes

• The number of actions has been reduced from 102 to 71, focusing on those with strong environmental and food production value. The following actions will not be available to apply for in 2026 agreements:
  • CHRW: Assess and record hedgerow condition
  • CHRW3: Maintain or establish hedgerow trees
  • BFS2: Buffer in-field ponds on arable land
  • BFS3: Buffer in-field ponds on improved grassland 
  • BFS4: Protect in-field trees on arable land
  • BFS5: Protect in-field trees on intensive grassland
  • AHW1: Bumblebird mix
  • AHW12: Manage woodland edges on arable land
  • GRH6: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland (endorsed)
  • GRH11: Cattle grazing supplement (non-moorland)
  • HEF2: Maintain weatherproof traditional farm or forestry buildings in remote areas
  • HEF5: Control scrub on historic and archaeological features
  • HEF8: Maintain designed or engineered waterbodies
  • CIPM1: Assess integrated pest management and produce a plan
  • CNUM1: Assess nutrient management and produce a review report
  • OFA1: Overwinter stubble (organic land)
  • OFA3: Supplementary winter bird food (organic land)
  • OFA6: Undersown cereal crop (organic land)
  • PRF3: Non-mechanical robotic weeding
  • SOH4: Winter cover following maize crops
  • CSAM1: Assess soil, test soil organic matter and produce a soil management plan
  • SOH2: Multi-species spring-sown cover crop
  • SPM2: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (50-80%)
  • SPM4: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (50-80%)
  • WBD5: Manage intensive grassland adjacent to a watercourse
  • WBD8: Manage grassland to reduce nutrient levels in groundwater
  • WBD9: Nil fertiliser supplement.
• The following payment rates have been reduced:
  • CSAM3: Herbal leys is now £224/ha
  • CAHL2: Winter bird food is now £648/ha
  • CNUM3: Legume fallow is now £532/ha
• The previously offered management payment has been removed entirely.
• All remaining actions that can be applied for can be found here: SFI26: details, definitions and what to expect – The Farming Blog

Simpler & More Flexible

• All actions are now 3‑year commitments instead of 5, making the scheme more accessible, especially for tenant farmers.
• Base actions and their associated supplemental actions must be applied for together, simplifying management and improving value.

What’s Ahead

Defra will publish full SFI26 guidance and budget before the first window opens and provide regular updates as funding windows are launched.  They are expecting a high uptake in June so we encourage those planning to apply, to prepare as much as possible ahead of the window opening. 

Regulation & Compliance

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax - Starts 6 April 2026.

HMRC has introduced a last-minute exemption and deferral to Making Tax Digital (MTD) that some farmers need to be aware of.

If you claimed income averaging on your 2024/25 tax return, or intend to claim averaging for 2025/26, you will not need to join MTD from April 2026 as previously expected.

Instead, your start date for MTD will be deferred to 6th April 2027.

If you think this may apply to you, it’s worth checking with your accountant so you’re clear on your position and timelines.

Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax starts on 6 April 2026. Sole traders and landlords with turnover over £50,000 need to act now to prepare.

Key changes

• From 6 April, affected individuals must keep digital records of self-employment and property income and expenses.
• Use compatible software to submit quarterly updates to HMRC and your Tax Return.
• MTD will expand to turnover above £30,000 in 2027 and £20,000 in 2028.

What to do now

• Check if you’re affected – Review your 2024–2025 tax return.
• Choose your software – Free and paid options are available.
• Start keeping digital records – Record all income and expenses digitally.
• Talk to your agent – Make sure they can access compatible software.

For step-by-step guidance and support, visit Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

Prepare now to avoid last-minute pressure before 6 April.

New Guidance on Long-Term Farm Business Tenancies

Farming is a long-term business, with decisions on planning, infrastructure, environmental improvements, and farm systems often taking years to show results. To support this, the Farm Tenancy Forum has published new guidance on long-term Farm Business Tenancies (FBTs).

To view the guidance click here , the guidance helps landlords, tenants, and advisers consider key factors when agreeing a long-term tenancy. Every business and landholding is different, so it focuses on discussions that lead to fair, practical agreements for both parties.

Key areas covered include:

• Setting clear expectations from the outset
• Rent review approaches
• Responsibilities for repairs, maintenance, and fixed equipment
• Planning improvements
• End-of-tenancy processes
• Developing long-term management and environmental plans while retaining flexibility

Benefits
Long-term FBTs give tenants security to plan, invest, and build resilient businesses, while helping landlords secure long-term management and stewardship of their land. Early discussions can prevent misunderstandings and strengthen working relationships.

Landlords and tenants should seek independent professional advice before entering or changing an agreement. The new guidance encourages more parties to consider how long-term tenancies could work for them.

Land Use Framework : What it Means for Herefordshire Farms and Landowners

At this stage, it’s important to say this is largely direction of travel rather than immediate change. A number of tools and datasets are still to come – including new national maps, land capability data and a clearer picture of how public money is being spent – which will help show what this actually means on the ground. We’ll keep a close eye on what’s released over the coming months and translate it into practical, farmer-friendly guidance. For now, it’s one to be aware of, not act on – and we’ll share more once there’s something concrete to get your teeth into.

England’s land is under increasing pressure to deliver food production, housing, clean energy and nature recovery. For Herefordshire, where productive farmland and important landscapes sit alongside growing environmental priorities, balancing these demands is key.

The Government has published England’s first Land Use Framework to support  more joined-up decision-making. It aims to provide clearer guidance, improved mapping data and tools to help farmers, landowners and communities plan how land is used.

The framework highlights working with the strengths of local landscapes — such as Herefordshire’s mixed farming systems and river catchments — while maintaining food production and creating space for nature recovery and development. A key commitment is to “make land digital”, improving access to environmental data to support better local decisions.

For farming, the framework includes a long-term commitment to maintain food production, safeguard productive agricultural land and improve farm productivity. It also signals simplified payment systems, more digital processes and better data to help farmers future-proof businesses against extreme weather and market changes.

The approach is intended to ensure decisions about housing, energy infrastructure and nature recovery are considered together, while protecting high-quality farmland and supporting nature-based solutions such as flood management.

Over the next year, a dedicated Land Use Unit will be established to help deliver the framework and align national and local plans, marking a more joined-up approach to how land is managed across areas like Herefordshire.

Defra will continue to refine their analysis and publish updates on a dedicated Land Use Framework GOV.UK page.

Wyescapes

We were pleased to confirm that ambitious long-term plans to restore nature across more than 5000 hectares along the river corridors of the Wye and Lugg between Leominster and Symonds Yat, were formally submitted to Defra as part of the government’s new Landscape Recovery programme at the beginning of March.

The Wyescapes project brings together 49 farmers and land managers working collaboratively across an area two and a half times the size of Hereford city. The plans aim to restore wildlife habitats, improve river health, reduce flood and drought impacts, and support sustainable food production on climate-resilient, thriving farms.

The huge opportunities to restore habitats and enhance nature and river-friendly farming, include:

• 2,000 acres of new floodplain meadow and species-rich grassland
• 330 acres of new woodland and 220 acres of new wetlands
• 1,385 acres of arable land reverting to grassland
• 3,000 acres of arable land managed for improved soil health and climate resilience
• 22 kilometres of new hedgerows and 775 acres of buffers, margins and flower-rich strips
• 660 acres of new wood pasture, parkland and orchards

READ MORE: Herefordshire farmers submit major plan to restore nature along the Rivers Wye and Lugg. - Herefordshire Rural Hub

Training & Development

Following the success of the FarmSafer training delivered in 2025, we're pleased to confirm that funding has been secured to run one additional training date in 2026 - but spaces are now very limited.

Friday 10th April at HFYFC, Yfc Centre, Beech Business Park, Hereford HR4 9QJ
9am to 4pm

FarmSafer is made possible through the generous support of Herefordshire Community Foundation and the Jack Hughes Fund. This funding has enabled farming businesses across Herefordshire to access the fully funded Emergency First Aid with Forestry training, designed specifically to address the serious injuiries most commonly encountered in farming and forestry environments. 

How to book - please email ASAP with:

• Name
• Address
• Contact telephone number
• Farm/business address (if different)

Apprenticeships, Training and 
Short Courses 

• Animal care and Welfare
• Farm Worker
• Forestry and Arboriculture
• Welding
• Farriery
• Equine
• Countryside Ranger

• Safe Use of Pesticides
• Telehandler/ ATV
• Tractor Driving
• Welding, Metal Work & Fabrication
• Blacksmithing
• Chainsaw Maintenance

• Short Courses
• Apprenticeships

The Jack Hughes Fund supports the cost of training for members of Herefordshire’s farming community.

Advice & Support

The Royal Countryside Fund - Trees on Farm - Farmer Guide. 

Written with Geraint Richards OBE MVO FICFor, Head Forester to the Duchy of Cornwall and to His Majesy The King, Trees on Farm shares stories from farmers across the UK who are proving how trees can boost profitability whilst improving resilience against the climate crisis. 

There are many benegits that trees can offer family farm businesses, including: New Income Stream, Livestock Wellbeing, Improved Soil Health. 

Practical Microbial Solutions for Farming  

BactoTech UK helps farmers improve efficiency, soil biology and crop resilience with proven microbial products.

We can support farms looking to: 

• Improve nitrogen and phosphorus efficiency, helping reduce the cost of artificial inputs
• Support soil health and root development
• Improve crop establishment and resilience
• Accelerate straw and crop residue breakdown
• Improve slurry and manure management

At a time when fertiliser costs remain a major concern, biological solutions can help farmers explore more efficient ways to support crops and soils.

Visit our website to learn more, or get in touch to discuss which products may suit your farm. 

W: https://bacotech.co.uk/  
E: hello@bacotech.co.uk

Expert advice. Tailored support. 

Helping your farm stay compliant, pass inspections, secure funding and gain accreditation.

Specialist advice and tailored documentation to help you comply with regulations and stay inspection-ready.

We can help with:

• Agricultural Compliance
• Farm Assurance
• Stewardship & Grant Applications
• Carbon Auditing
• Health & Safety
• HR Support

T: 01981 590514 E: info@cxcs.co.uk W: https://cxcs.co.uk

Get in touch to find out how we can support your farming business.

Species-Rich Grassland: Advisory Services from Herefordshire Meadows

• Advice & guidance regarding management or restoration of species-rich grassland.
• Grassland assessment for suitability of SFI options for livestock, soil health, flood and drought resilience and biodiversity.
• Grassland surveys e.g. assessing suitability for GRH6 option.
• Guidance regarding permanent grassland, floodplain and cultivated land.

Farming with Nature 

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust supports customers with habitat and conservation advice including:

• Wildlife & Habitat Surveying
• Habitat Management Plans
• Biodiversity Net Gain

Find out more and get in touch via www.herefordshirewt.org/farmingwithnature

Managed IT Support for
Rural Businesses

• 24/7 monitoring & problem prevention.
• Fast response to IT issues.
• Cyber-security protection & updates.
• Cloud backups and secure data storage.

Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Support

CSF have four advisers working across Herefordshire: Alice Probert and Rob Edwards cover the Arrow, Lugg, and Frome catchments, Nick Hinchliffe covers the Wye, and Amy Stephens handles the Leadon.

• Nutrient, slurry and manure management
• Soil health
• Pesticide handling
• Natural flood management
• Reducing ammonia emissions
• Sustainable water use
• Guidance on farming schemes and regulations

If you are interested in applying for future grants we would strongly recommend getting in touch with CSF as soon as possible to ensure you have the right supporting documents lined up ready to apply in good time before the next window opens.

Booking a CSF Visit
To request support, email a completed Catchment Sensitive Farming Advice Request form  to  csf.severn@naturalengland.org.uk.

Maize Under-Sowing
Service Available Locally

• Winter/ Spring grazing opportunities (up to 3-4 tonnes DM/ha)
• Compliance with Farming Rules for Water (England)
• Enhances soil structure with active root mass
• Retains soil nutrients (+50kg/Ha N + K)
• Reduces soil erosion
• Builds fertility and organic matter
• Mitigates compaction from harvesting machinery
• Eligibility for SFI cover crop option (CSAM2)

Consultations

To advertise events, services, training and job opportunities with us click here. 

Deadline for print copy 25th of each month.

Meet the Team

Kate Speke-Adams -
Hub Managing Director

For details about our projects & opportunities to work with us click here.

Sarah Starkey -
Hub Farm Resilience Project Manager

For info about any of our resilience projects click here.

Sue Powell -
Hub Finance Officer

For queries about finance & invoicing 
click here.

Jennie Hermolle -
Hub Wyescapes Engagement & Communications Manager

For information about our Wyescapes Landscape Recovery project click here 

We're proud to be part of the
Royal Countryside Fund's
Farm Support Group Initiative